Job 31

1 Jeg gjorde en Pagt med mine Øjne, og hvad skulde jeg agte paa en Jomfru?

I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.

2 Og hvad for en Lod vilde Gud have givet ovenfra og hvad for en Arv den Almægtige fra det høje?

For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

3 Mon ikke Ulykke er beredt for den uretfærdige og Undergang for dem, som gøre Uret?

Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?

4 Mon han ikke ser mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?

Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?

5 Dersom jeg har vandret med Falskhed, og min Fod har hastet til Svig,

If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,

6 — han veje mig paa Retfærdigheds Vægtskaaler, og Gud kende min Uskyldighed —

let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 dersom min Gang har bøjet af fra Vejen, og mit Hjerte er gaaet efter mine Øjne, og en Plet har klæbet ved mine Hænder:

If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands,

8 Da gid jeg maa saa, men en anden æde, og mit Afkom maa oprykkes med Rod.

then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.

9 Dersom mit Hjerte er forlokket til en Kvinde, og jeg har luret ved min Næstes Dør:

If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend’s door,

10 Da gid min Hustru maa male for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende.

then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.

11 Thi det var en Skændselsgerning, og det var en Misgerning, som hørte hen for Dommerne;

For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

12 thi det var en Ild, som fortærede indtil Afgrunden, og som skulde have oprykket al min Afgrøde med Rode.

It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.

13 Dersom jeg havde foragtet min Tjeners eller min Tjenestepiges Ret, naar de trættede med mig;

If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,

14 — og hvad vilde jeg gøre, naar Gud vilde opstaa? og naar han vilde hjemsøge, hvad skulde jeg svare ham?

then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him?

15 har ikke han, som skabte mig i Moders Liv, skabt ham? og har ikke en og den samme beredt os i Moderskød? —

Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 dersom jeg har nægtet de ringe deres Begæring og ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,

If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;

17 og jeg har ædt min Mundbid for mig alene, saa at den faderløse ikke aad deraf;

if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;

18 — tværtimod, han er opvokset hos mig som hos en Fader fra min Ungdom af, og hende ledede jeg, fra min Moders Liv af —

(for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )

19 dersom jeg har set en forkommen, uden Klæder, og at den fattige intet Dække havde;

if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,

20 dersom hans Lænder ikke have velsignet mig, medens han varmede sig ved Ulden af mine Faar;

if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 dersom jeg har løftet min Haand imod den faderløse, fordi jeg saa Hjælp for mig i Porten:

if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

22 Da gid min Skulder maa falde fra Skulderbladet, og min Arm brydes fra Armpiben!

then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.

23 Thi en Rædsel vilde være kommen over mig, en Ulykke fra Gud, og imod hans Højhed formaaede jeg intet.

For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.

24 Dersom jeg har sat Guld til mit Haab eller sagt til det kostelige Guld: Du er min Tillid;

If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’

25 dersom jeg har glædet mig, at mit Gods var meget, og at min Haand havde forhvervet mangfoldigt;

if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;

26 dersom jeg har set til Sollyset, naar det skinnede, eller til Maanen, naar den gaar herlig,

if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,

27 og mit Hjerte har ladet sig forlokke i Løndom, saa at min Mund kyssede min Haand:

so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,

28 — Ogsaa dette havde været en Misgerning, som hørte hen under Dommerne; thi jeg havde hyklet for Gud i det høje —!

which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;

29 dersom jeg har glædet mig over min Fjendes Undergang og jublet, naar Ulykken ramte ham;

if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,

30 — men jeg tilstedede ikke min Gane at synde, saa at jeg under Forbandelse begærede hans Sjæl —

for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;

31 dersom ikke Mændene i mit Telt have sagt: Hvor finder man nogen, som ikke er bleven mæt af hans Kød?

if the men around my tabernacle have not said: “He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,”

32 — den fremmede maatte ikke ligge udenfor om Natten, jeg lod mine Døre op for vejfarende —

for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;

33 dersom jeg har skjult mine Overtrædelser som Adam og dulgt min Misgerning i min Barm,

if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;

34 fordi jeg frygtede den store Hob, og Slægters Foragt kunde have forfærdet mig, saa at jeg tav og ikke gik ud af en Dør —

if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door;

35 Havde jeg dog den, som vilde høre paa mig! se her min Underskrift — den Almægtige svare mig — og her den Klage, min Modpart har opsat;

then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book,

36 sandelig, jeg skulde tage den paa min Skulder, jeg skulde binde den omkring mig som et Hovedsmykke!

which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?

37 Jeg vil tilkendegive ham ethvert af mine Skridt, som en Fyrste vil jeg nærme mig ham.

With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.

38 Dersom min Ager raaber imod mig, og alle dens Furer græde;

So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,

39 dersom jeg har fortæret dens Grøde uden at have betalt den og udblæst Sjælen fra dens Ejermand:

if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,

40 Gid da vokse Tjørn i Stedet for Hvede, og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg; — Jobs Ord have Ende.

then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)